The Daily CCO: Big Week Ahead for the Cubs

This is an important week for the future of the Chicago Cubs. Not only could an announcement be made about the Cubs new radio partner, the draft begins Thursday and the Cubs are still scheduled to meet with the Landmarks Commission on Thursday.

A report from Ed Sherman indicated Friday the Cubs are close to announcing a move from 720 WGN to 780 WBBM-AM for next season. Speculation is that the Cubs would spend a season on WBBM before moving to 670 The Score once the station’s contract with the White Sox expires after the 2015 season.

The Cubs are still scheduled to go in front of the Landmarks Commission on Thursday to receive approval on the updated plans to restore, renovate and expand Wrigley Field. The Score’s Dan Bernstein reported over the weekend that Mayor Emanuel is still on board with the Wrigley restoration and any alteration to the bullpen doors was expected. According to Bernstein’s sources, the Cubs have ordered steel to in order to begin the project in July.

MLB’s First-Year Player Draft kicks off on Thursday evening. The Cubs have the fourth pick and no one knows if the Cubs will end up with a pitcher or a position player. Speculation and mock drafts will continue leading up to the draft. The Cubs have been connected to Carlos Rodon, Nick Gordon, Max Pentecost, Jeff Hoffman, Kyle Freeland, Michael Conforto, Alex Jackson and Aaron Nola. The Cubs will take the best player on their board and then spend the rest of the draft taking pitchers from what is considered a pitching-rich draft.

On the field, the big league team opens a six-game homestand on Tuesday night with the first of three with the Mets. And the first homestand in June wraps up Sunday afternoon with the last of three against the Marlins.

Javier Baez

Javier Baez left Sunday’s game against the Nashville Sounds in the sixth inning after being hit in the right hand/wrist area by a pitch in the third inning. Baez stole second and third base after he was hit, had another bat and played in the field before he left the game in the sixth.

There has not been an update provided from either the Cubs or the Iowa Cubs. Iowa takes on the Sounds at 7:05pm on Monday.

Welington Castillo and Luis Valbuena

Welington Castillo was lifted in the fourth inning of Sunday’s game with a sore back. He was taken out of the game for precautionary reasons. Castillo is expected in the lineup for Tuesday’s opener against the Mets.

The Cubs were playing with a short bench on Sunday. Luis Valbuena missed his second game in a row. Valbuena is “nursing a lower body injury” that one report indicated is an abdominal problem. Rick Renteria described his injury as not being serious. The Cubs have not given a timeframe on when Valbuena will return to the lineup.

News and Notes

Starlin Castro said Manny Ramirez looks crazy on Sunday, but said he wasn’t and he feels Ramirez can help Javier Baez get to the majors according to a report from Patrick Mooney. Castro said he keeps in contact with Baez.

The Cubs will have to make at least two roster moves prior to Tuesday’s opener against the Mets. Hector Rondon is supposed to be activated from the paternity list (three games by league rules) and that could mean a reliever that is with the big league team could be shipped out as part of a numbers crunch. Justin Grimm pitched two innings on Sunday and the Cubs have not shut the door on him starting again. Would this be a good time to send Grimm to Iowa and stretch him out in order to fill a rotation spot in late July, August and September?

Carlos Villanueva understands the business of the game and he could be traded before the July 31 deadline, but he doesn’t want to see any of his teammates traded according to a report from Cubs.com.

Paul Sullivan talked with Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro and he told Sullivan the Wrigley Field cake was supposed to feed 1,000 people.

In the Cubs shutout on Sunday, Adam McCalvy counted 17 of the 27 outs that Kyle Lohse recorded came in at bats with three or fewer pitches and seven were one-pitch outs.

Minor News and Notes

Kris Bryant went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI on Sunday. Bryant has hit six home runs in his last eight games. Over his last 10 games … .412/.545/1.029 with three doubles, six home runs, 10 walks, 11 strikeouts and a 1.575 OPS. For the season (55 games), .348/.452/.692/1.143 with 15 doubles, 18 home runs and 33 walks with 64 strikeouts. Bryant moved back into the lead in all three Triple Crown categories in the Southern League on Sunday.

Arodys Vizcaino has appeared in nine games for the Smokies since his promotion. Vizcaino is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. In 9 1/3 innings, Vizcaino has allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts. Vizcaino is pitching every three days.

As Tom pointed out in the Down on the Farm Report, Brett Jackson is hitting. Over his last 10 games, Jackson is hitting .370/.433/.667 with three doubles, one triple, one home runs, two walks and a 1.100 OPS. In 27 at bats, Jackson has struck out eight times.

Sean Kernan askedDave Keller about the addition of Manny Ramirez to the I-Cubs roster and coaching staff. Keller was Ramirez’s manager in the Indians’ system in the ‘90s.

Weekend Headlines

It was another busy weekend for the Chicago Cubs, with the biggest news being the contract extension Crane Kenney signed with the Cubs last summer. If you missed any of the news, here are the headlines: